Hockey
By Gordon Hall
I
was diagnosed as a diabetic in 1981 at the age of 18. The routine of
diabetic control has changed significantly over the years, and I am now
controlled with short acting injections of Novorapid and have just
started taking Insulin Glargine before bed for longer acting control.
One thing that has not changed is my passion for sport and I have never
let my diabetes stand in the way of enjoying many sporting activities.
I
took up hockey at the age of 23 and have therefore never played the
game without having diabetes.Hockey is a fast running game that is
similar in energy levels to a game of football or rugby. Played now
almost exclusively on astro turf there is a strong demand for pitches
which means that Saturday games can begin anytime between 10am and 6pm,
having a knock on effect to diabetic control. What time to eat, how
much to eat and what level of insulin to take are all considerations on
match day.I perform best if I have had at least two and a half hours
after a meal before playing hockey, and I will eat my meal according to
when I am playing. For example if I am playing at 12 noon I will have a
late breakfast at 9.30am, or if I am playing at 3.00pm then I will have
lunch at 12.30pm. I reduce my insulin dose for the meal before a game
by 25% and have a normal sized meal; I never adjust my long acting
insulin dose.